Re: Question for the Off-Roaders

From: JT McBride (James.McBride@GDEsystems.COM)
Date: Mon Jun 24 1996 - 12:48:20 EDT


Airing down your tires increases the tires footprint, giving you better
floatation (trapping more sand underneath, like a camel's foot). To get
an idea of the difference, dust your tire with marking chalk, and drive
over a piece of paper, then air down and repeat. BTW, this is a good
method for checking whether you're overinflating the unloaded rear tires.

The greatest hazard I've found in sand is submerged rocks. Sure, getting
stuck is a danger, but the Dakota is reasonably light. If your tires are
sinking into the sand though, your effective ground clearance may only
be a couple inches!

Note that the skinny rims the factory uses result in a nice bulging sidewall
and big footprint, when properly inflated. My 10.5/30-15's are running at
only about 25-28 on the highway (32-35 with a load) and I don't really have
to air down. With stock 235's, I'd run 32-36 on the road, and air down to
22-25 psi. You should not drop below 15 psi, though I know of some who will
go as low as 8 psi. You can get away with that if you watch your speed, and
you're on an old lake bed (salt flats), but if there are any rocks, you've
sacrificed a lot of ground clearance, a precious commodity with the stock
tires. You will notice a LOT more sidewall roll at very low pressures.

Right now, I carry a small (65 cuft) SCUBA tank with a custom regulator and
an air chuck. eventually, I'd like to add ARB airlockers up front, and use
the air from the compressor that powers them (bigger tank than ARB supplies).
That way I can air up again for clearance-critical ledges, or when I get
back to civilization.

Beach driving sounds like fun, but here they're sand + salt water. I've seen
what this does to car bodies. Grim. I hope you're washing the truck down
well if you're driving in surf.

Jim
P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P-PP-P--P
  ABCDEFG == Anybody But Clinton; Dole/Engler or Forbes, maybe Gramm !!!!
          ~%@%~ Politically Incorrect and Proud of It! ~%@%~
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BTW, I expect to leave for MT this afternoon, hence will be incommunicado.
 



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